- "No, Luke. I am your father"
- ―Darth Vader
| "Duel a Dark Lord!" | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Star Wars | |
| Title: | "Duel a Dark Lord!" |
| Storyline: | "The Empire Strikes Back" |
| Volume: | 1 |
| Number: | 44 |
| Cover price: | .50 |
| Cover date: | February, 1981 |
| Publisher: | Marvel Comics |
| Credits | |
| Chief: | Jim Shooter |
| Writers: | Archie Goodwin |
| Pencilers: | Al Williamson; Carlos Garzón |
| Inkers: | Al Williamson; Carlos Garzón |
| Cover artists: | Al Williamson; Carlos Garzón |
| Cover inker: | Al Williamson; Carlos Garzón |
| Colorists: | Glynis Wein |
| Letterers: | Rick Veitch |
| Assistants: | Danny Fingeroth |
| Editors: | Archie Goodwin |
| Navigation | |
| Previous: | Star Wars #43 |
| Next: | Star Wars #45 |
"Duel a Dark Lord!" is the title to the forty-fourth issue of the first Star Wars ongoing comic book series published by Marvel Comics. The story was written by Archie Goodwin with artwork and inks by Al Williamson and Carlos Garzón. It was colored by Glynis Wein and lettered by Rick Veitch. The story was edited by Archie Goodwin with Danny Fingeroth as assistant editor. This issue shipped with a February, 1981 cover date and carries a cover price of .50 cents per copy.
Synopsis[]
Luke Skywalker arrives in Cloud City and R2-D2 and they begin looking for their friends. Darth Vader delivers the frozen body of Han Solo over to Boba Fett and instructs the Ugnaught workers to reset the carbon-freezing chamber for Skywalker. He then instructs his officers to have Leia and Chewbacca brought aboard his ship. Lando Calrissian fires back, claiming that part of the deal was that they would remain in the city. Vader venomously tells him that he is altering the deal.
The Imperial soldiers begin escorting Leia and Chewbacca back to the ship when they come upon Luke. A firefight takes place and the group splits up. Lando, feeling guilty over betraying Han, has his own men overtake the stormtroopers. He frees Leia and Chewbacca and the partially re-constructed C-3PO. They try to make it back to the landing pad to free Han, but they are too late. As they arrive, Boba Fett takes off with Han's body en route to his employer, Jabba the Hutt. They board the Millennium Falcon and leave Cloud City.
Meanwhile, Luke goes to the carbon freezing facility where he finds Darth Vader waiting for him. They ignite their lightsabers and begin dueling. Their fight takes them to a gantry hanging above one of the city's exhaust shafts. Vader slices off Luke's right hand with his saber. Luke accuses Vader of killing his father, to which Vader replies, “No, Luke. I am your father”. Unable to handle the truth of the matter, Luke flings himself off the gantry where he begins falling to his death.
Falling through the various tunnel shafts below the city, he is eventually expelled and left hanging from a sensor vane on the underbelly of the floating city. He reaches out with the Force to project his thoughts to Leia. Leia, hearing Luke's telepathic cry for help, orders Lando to turn the Falcon around and go back for him. They pick Luke up and rendezvous with the Rebel Fleet.
Onboard a medical ship, Luke is cleaned up and his hand is replaced with a cybernetic replacement. Now he has to deal with his failure to rescue Han as well as the revelation that Darth Vader, the most evil being in the galaxy, is his father.
Appearances[]
Featured characters
Supporting characters
Villains
- Darth Vader, Anakin Skywalker
- Boba Fett
- Firmus Piett
- Sheckil (Only appearance)
Minor characters
- Bislsav Merril
- Isdam Edian
Organizations
Races & Animals
- Alderaanians
- Clones
- Corellians (Cameo appearance only)
- Cyborgs
- Tatooinians
Locations
Items
Vehicles
Powers
Miscellaneous
Notes & Trivia[]
- Star Wars was created by writer, director and executive producer George Lucas. It first captured the imaginations of movie goers in May, 1977 with its inaugural installment, which has since come to be identified by its full title, Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope. The movie led to two sequels, a prequel trilogy, a third trilogy, several spin-off films, and numerous television programs, animated projects, novels, comic books, and video games, as well as developing into a merchandising giant.
- This is the sixth and final chapter in the comic book adaptation of Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back.
- There is a five page pin-up section in this issue featuring art by Walt Simonson, Joe Jusko, Fred Hembeck, Bob Layton & Marshall Rogers.
- Bislsav Merril and Isdam Edian are not named in this issue. They are members of the Bespin Wing Guard.
Recommended Reading[]
Novels
Comics
See also[]
Media
The World of Star Wars
Star Wars miscellaneous
External Links[]
- Star Wars, Volume 1 #44 at MDP
- Star Wars, Volume 1 #44 at Comics.org
- Star Wars, Volume 1 #44 at Comic Vine
- Star Wars, Volume 1 #44 at Wookieepedia
 This article is part of the official Marvel Comics adaptation of the 1980 feature film Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back. Issues
Main characters
Supporting characters
Antagonists
|